NEF Coaches Work with Business Challenge Finalists

Members of the New Enterprise Forum coached the Michigan Business Challenge Semi-Finalists and Social Impact Finalists on February 13th at the Ross School of Business. Coaches met with 8 teams and provided feedback on their 15-minute presentations. In addition, members of the NEF board served as judges for Round 1 of the Challenge.

The Michigan Business Challenge is a campus-wide, multi-round business plan competition thru which student teams have the opportunity to win cash prizes totaling over $75,000, gain feedback from judges, and expand their business network. 80 teams pitched to judges on December 5 and only 22 advanced to the next round, which occurred on January 23. Eight teams were then chosen as Semi Finalists and four were selected as Social Impact Finalists. The Finals held Friday, February 20th. 

Companion, a peer-to-peer public safety app, took home 1st Place and $20,000. Blueprints for Pangaea, which sends unused medical supplies to developing countries, won the Social Impact Award and $15,000. Ben Rathi, CEO of Blueprints for Pangaea, said "The Michigan Business Challenge not only improved our ability to concisely present our business plan, but more importantly, it afforded us an opportunity to receive critical feedback on our venture."
 

Some teams, including the 2013 2nd Place winner, Exo Dynamics, go on to receive further coaching from NEF and eventually become Showcase Presenters at the NEF Forum meetings.